324 MIND IN EVOLUTION CHAP. 



definitely in detail, but agreeing in that they are terrifying. 

 But they are utterances which only concern the present, 

 the objects or circumstances immediately perceived or 

 desired. 



The function of the instinctive cry may be performed 

 among domestic animals by the spoken word. The dog's 

 name called out in a tone of reproof, approval, or 

 exhortation, as the case may be, excites him to appropriate 

 actions. The parrot goes a step further, and undoubtedly 

 uses words with intention. Of a learned grey parrot, it 

 is said : 



" As soon as the dinner bell rang he called the waitress louder 

 and louder until she appeared. If a knock came at the door, he 

 said, * Come in,' but was never deceived by any one in the room. 

 If he saw preparation made for uncorking a bottle, he made the 

 noise long before the cork was out. . . . When the green parrot 

 standing near him screamed, he first tried to quiet her with a 

 reproving * Pst ! ' but if that did not avail he called out in a loud 

 voice, ' Hush, hush, you ! ' He loved to talk to himself late in 

 the evening, and regularly closed his monologue with the words, 

 ' Good night, good night, Jacky.' " l 



In one sense, probably the parrot does not understand 

 the meaning of what he says. He knows " good night " 

 or "come in" as sounds appropriate to certain occasions, 

 and, it may be, as producing certain effects on others. 

 But there is, I imagine, no reason to suppose that he can 

 analyse, that he knows the meanings of good and of night 

 taken severally, so that he might at need construct such a 

 phrase for himself. Without such knowledge, it seems 

 clear that the words are only a more refined and subtle 

 development due to education of the cry or scream, which 

 also is a definite sound used appropriately and with 

 effect. 



Closely analogous to parrot talk is the speech of a child 

 about, and for some time after, the close of the first year. 

 Before that time, syllables really meaningless are uttered 

 often with many vain repetitions. This babblement 

 seems to represent the really instinctive element in language. 

 Darwin noted the syllable " Da" pronounced clearly but 



1 Groos, Play of Animals , p. 204. 



